Thrice in Gold
by cole-lit
Summary: In a world where Namikaze Minato was an orphan, he accomplished so much yet died so young. So how much more (or less) will he accomplish with two older brothers by his side? (Or where Naruto and Kurama travel back through time to save the world. And raise Minato along the way.)


Jiraiya wondered just what the Sandaime was smoking to make Jiraiya the jounin-sensei of _two_ clan heirs. And worse, they didn't just come from any clan. Of course not, why make Jiraiya's life easier, when he could have the clan heirs of the Uchiha and the Hyuuga?

(Never mind that Jiraiya was able to train three orphans when he was only seventeen because how would Sarutobi-sensei know that? Unless a snake or a slug squealed on him, those tattletales.)

"So," he started off, looking at his students, who looked like they were made of ice and stone with giant sticks up their asses. (And he wondered how where they able to pass his test yesterday?) "Is there any clan-related thing I should be aware of before we start your training?"

"I am required to fulfill my clan duties in the afternoon," Uchiha Fugaku spoke up first, smirking at Hyuuga Hiashi, who fumed at the _very blatant sign_ of Uchiha superiority. (Note the sarcasm.)

"I, too, am required to fulfill my clan duties in the afternoon. But I will not be remiss in my training as your genin, Jiraiya-sensei," Hiashi said respectfully, bowing his head slightly, then smirking at Fugaku because of his superiority in managing his responsibilities.

Jiraiya can't believe how _petty_ his genin were. (And he selectively forgot the times when he and his genin teammates fought over the last meatbun. Nope, that didn't happen at all.)

"Um, I've got some clan heir duties to do, too, when Sei-nii comes back from his mission," his third student spoke up. All three members of Team Seven looked at their smallest teammate, Namikaze Minato, who just looked at them bashfully.

"Since when have you been the Namikaze clan heir?" Fugaku asked, shocked at Minato's announcement.

"Just before they left. Sei-nii made into the clan heir since I lost the bet."

"You decided the clan heir _based on a bet_?" Hiashi asked, appalled.

Minato just looked confused at his teammates' expressions. (Or maybe the fact that his teammates could express feelings in the first place.) "Yeah. How else will we decide?"

"_By birth order!_" Fugaku and Hiashi answered back simultaneously. Then they glared at each other for copying the other, no doubt.

"But Sei-nii didn't want to be clan heir. And the fairest way to decide who will be Sei-nii's heir was through a bet. Though 'fair' sounds a bit misleading because Sei-nii obviously stacked the deck in his favor," Minato said, mumbling the latter. But he really couldn't complain since that was how ninja clans worked.

"Wait, wait. Who's the clan head?" Jiraiya interrupted, before the whole thing would become more confusing.

"Sei-nii," Minato answered, looking deceptively innocent, which was a big clue that he was _anything but_.

"Which 'Sei-nii' are you talking about?"

"Sei-nii the Clan Head."

And Jiraiya didn't know whether to praise his blond student for his honest yet deceptive answers or to strange him because they were getting nowhere. Or better yet, he should strangle his brothers, who most definitely taught him how to be an elusive brat.

"Is Seiichi or Seiji the clan head?" Ha! There was no way Minato could slither his way out of this one without being dishonest.

Minato gave him a look that implied that he was stupid as he answered, "The Clan Head _is _based on order of birth, Sensei. Who do _you think_ is the Clan Head?"

It was official, he was going to lose one of his students out of sheer aggravation. Those Namikaze terrors shouldn't mind losing their youngest brother, too much.

"I'm also required to inform you that if anything untoward happens to me while I'm under your supervision, my brothers will consider that as an act of war against the Namikazes," Minato said, and Jiraiya hoped that he didn't mean… "And by war, they mean _Prank War._"

Jiraiya _did not_ whimper at the idea of having a _Prank War_ against those Namikaze brats. (Who were just three years younger than him so he had every right to call them as such.)

Seiji was terrifying with his vast knowledge of esoteric jutsu, which Jiraiya was sure he used for _evil_. (How else would he have bonded so well with Orochimaru if he wasn't evil?) But the real terror was Seiichi, whose mind was capable of unimaginable and impossible feats of chaos, with his little red-headed demonic minion at his heels.

Just because Jiraiya _did not – I repeat, did not – _whimper does not mean he's not terrified for his life. Nothing the youngest Namikaze could say could possibly be worse than that.

"I'm also required to inform you that if you use me or any of my teammates to aid your research for your new book, I'm required to report to my brothers who will either tell Orochimaru-sama or Tsunade-hime."

…except that.

"How did they know that!" Jiraiya exclaimed because he hasn't even started on his book, yet those blond-haired menaces already knew what he was planning to do with his genin team.

(They were only going to be a distraction. Ladies found little boys adorable, didn't they?)

Minato only shrugged. "I don't know yet. Sei-nii is probably going to teach me though," he said, cheerful and excited at the idea of the things his older brothers are going to him.

Jiraiya was naturally horrified at what Minato would become under the tutelage of the Namikaze twins.

And speaking of the devils.

"Mina-chan!" a cheerful blond with spiky hair appeared out of nowhere and swooped Minato into a hug.

"Sei-nii!" Minato squealed, either in embarrassment or in delight. It was hard to tell since he wasn't hugging the older blond, or pushing him away. But then, it was impossible to escape from the grasp of Namikaze Seiichi.

"Welcome back, Namikaze-sama," Hiashi respectfully greeted the Namikaze clan head. Fugaku quickly followed the suit, before they started a glaring match.

(And where the hell was his respect he deserved? He was one of the Sannin. Hell, he was _their jounin-sensei_!)

"I thought you were going to put him on a tighter leash," said a familiar silky voice from the distance.

"I'm his brother, not his babysitter," the other Namikaze twin answered Orochimaru with a scoff. "If anyone should put a leash on him, it should be Sakumo."

"You know it would be much easier to catch lightning and wind than your brother, Seiji," Sakumo answered cheerfully, his arms wrapped around the shoulders of his younger acerbic teammates. Most likely to ensure that they would not escape since Sakumo's grip was comparable to Seiichi's.

"Hatake-sama. Forgive me for my presumptions, but wasn't your team just sent on a mission yesterday?" Fugaku asked the White Fang. (Most likely, to report to the Uchiha family when he returns home. Ninja politics, what joy.)

"Do you think those pathetic Iwa scum is a match for the Shitennou of Konoha?" Seiji asked arrogantly.

But then, it wasn't arrogance if it was true. It was confidence, not only in his skills, but in the skills of the rest of his team, the Shitennou.

"So Mina-chan!" Seiichi said, after rubbing his cheeks against his youngest brother, who looked more resigned than anything else. "I see that you've been terrorizing Jiraiya."

"Not terrorizing, Sei-nii. Just answering his questions," Minato answered faux innocently and Seiichi's grin sharpened.

"I see! Well, I'm sorry to interrupt," he said, not sounding sorry at all, _the bastard_. "But we're borrowing Mina-chan for now. I need to teach him some stuff before we get sent on another mission."

"Teach him what, Namikaze?" Jiraiya asked, wary. Seiichi and Seiji sensed his imminent fear and looked at him, both wearing identical grins and practically looking like the same person.

(In fact, the only way to differentiate them was through Seiji's perpetual snark and Seiichi's constant cheer because they were practically identical, down to their chakra signatures which could only be distinguished by a very highly skilled sensor.)

"I'm gonna teach him on how to be a Namikaze!"

**. . .**

_**ages (for clarity's sake)**__:_

_minato, fugaku, hiashi – 10  
naruto/seiichi, kurama/seiji – 20  
jiraiya, orochimaru (and tsunade, while i'm at it) – 23  
sakumo – 25_

_**an**__: i love naruto time-travel fics. and i wanted one that had kurama. and i also wanted them to interact with minato for a long time. so this was born. _

_also note that minato is going to be sorta kinda ooc. i mean, he's going to be practically raised by naruto and kurama. you have been warned._

_also, my characterizations of orochimaru and sakumo are heavily inspired by black. 's (i'm sorry, i can't make ff work properly. xp) works. haven't read them? go to read them, right now!_

_i'm also looking for a beta who's very knowledgeable with the naruto fandom. preferably with great spelling and grammar. and really good with fight scenes, while we're at it. if interested, pm me. x3_

_**thank you for dropping by and i hope you enjoyed your read~**_


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